L.A.’s neighborhood prosecutor program expanding

Calling it a key element in dealing with quality of life issues, City Attorney Mike Feuer said Thursday he has found the funds to double the number of neighborhood prosecutors to 16.

“In the next few weeks, we will hire and deploy these prosecutors in key areas of Los Angeles,” Feuer said during a coffee with reporters. “What that program ought to do is focus on quality of life issues.

“They should know the key people in the neighborhood councils, in the local chambers and the police support staff. We are looking for people with a broad array of feelings for what is going on in a neighborhood.”

Jill Banks Barad, co-founder of the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils, called the jobs critical to helping neighborhoods.

“This is one of our top priorities,” Barad said. “It’s important because it makes the neighborhoods safer, but they also get involved in dispute resolution with neighbors and they provide an access point for us to report problems, such as illegal dumping or junk cars.”

Former City Attorney Carmen Trutanich cut the program to its current levels because of the fiscal problems he faced during the recession.

Feuer said he was able to find the funds needed through some vacancies in his office and working with others to get the money needed for the staffing.

One of the primary functions of the neighborhood prosecutors is working to abate nuisances, particularly related to gang crimes and serving as a resource to the community and police officers.

In another quality of life and gang-related issue, Feuer said he also will be working to develop a broader safe-passages programs to schools around the city.

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“In the context of talking about neighborhoods, we have been working on school safety,” Feuer said. “While we have no jurisdiction over school sites, we have designated a school safety coordinator and you will see greater focus on violence prevention in the coming months.”

Feuer said he has already held talks with the Los Angeles Unified School District police on what steps can be taken to improved safety for students as they walk to school to avoid gang intimidation.